Latest news with #PatNoonan
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
🗣️ MLS refs issue response to Cincinnati's disallowed goal vs Inter Miami
There was plenty of refereeing controversy in the highly anticipated MLS showdown between FC Cincinnati and Inter Miami Saturday evening. Miami felt aggrieved over not being awarded a penalty in the second-half when Fafà Picault was taken down in the box. Yet the visitors from Cincinnati were equally dismayed when a stoppage-time Miles Robinson game-winning goal was disallowed for what some perceive to be a soft foul on Noah Allen. Both sets of players remonstrated with the referee after the match, with plenty of fans online making the case that Cincinnati should have been awarded the dramatic game-winning goal. After the match in South Florida Saturday evening, PRO — the MLS referees organization — issued a response to reporters backing up their decision to rule out the goal. "The referee observed a foul committed by #12 Miles Robinson of FC Cincinnati against #32 Noah Allen of Inter Miami, making clear contact with the face," the statement read. "The referee delayed the whistle the allow the opportunity for VAR to review for a possible goal. After a VAR check, the referee's decision was confirmed." Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan remained level-headed in his response after the goalless draw, but nonetheless confirmed that he believed the goal should have stood. A win would have seen Cincinnati remain in first place in the Eastern Conference and the Supporters' Shield race. Having dropped points, Noonan's side slipped into second to finish the weekend. 📸 Carmen Mandato - 2025 Getty Images
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Disappointing': Columbus Crew rallies for comeback Hell is Real win over FC Cincinnati
An all-too-familiar feeling surrounded a stunned sellout crowd of 25,513 fans at TQL Stadium on July 12. It was 19 months ago, in the same venue, when FC Cincinnati coughed up a 2-0 lead in an eventual heartbreaking, season-ending loss to the Columbus Crew in the Eastern Conference finals. The 18th edition of the Hell is Real derby played out in the same fashion as a pair of FC Cincinnati goals in the opening five minutes of the match were not enough as Columbus followed with four unanswered goals to complete the comeback. "Disappointing," FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan somberly said in his post-game press conference. "We all are. It's a tough night. We gotta own it and move on from it." Sure, a trip to the MLS Cup final was not on the line, but it was still one of the most marquee Hell is Real matchups in rivalry history between two Supporters Shield contenders which have been the best clubs in the MLS from a points perspective over the last three seasons. It was a monster missed opportunity for FC Cincinnati to take four of six points from its in-state rival for the second consecutive year and it's a defeat that knocks the Orange & Blue out of sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference. Early goals not enough for FC Cincinnati in Hell is Real loss It felt worth the 56-minute weather delay for the majority of the sellout crowd when FC Cincinnati gave them early fireworks. In the opening minute, FC Cincinnati midfielder Pavel Bucha delivered an emphatic icebreaker by squaring up a cross from centre back Lukas Engel that made the home venue erupt. Bucha's 39th-second tally was the fourth-fastest goal in club history, according to FC Cincinnati communications. Just a few moments later, it was bedlam in the west end as All-Star midfielder and MLS MVP candidate Evander notched his sixth goal in the last four games to give FC Cincinnati a 2-0 lead less than five minutes into the match. Those two goals wouldn't hold up as FC Cincinnati's offense stalled and Columbus notched a shutout over the final 90 minutes. There were several close calls as the hosts had a 14-11 shot advantage in a match where possession was nearly split 50/50. However, FC Cincinnati couldn't add to its lead in the first half with missed opportunities in transition. "The passes, I thought we rushed some plays ... We couldn't take care of the ball in long stretches," Noonan said. "We could've scored two or three more goals after the 2-0 lead. They found their rhythm in the first half." Columbus Crew score 4 unanswered goals in comeback Hell is Real win The visitors found their rhythm in the first half as quickly as FC Cincinnati had jumped to an early two-goal advantage. In the 42nd minute, Ibrahim Aliyu's crosser was met by the right foot of Columbus leading scorer Diego Rossi, who cut FC Cincinnati's lead in half with a top-shelf shot. Less than five minutes later, Columbus midfielder Max Arfsten looped a one-hopper past diving FC Cincinnati goalie Roman Celentano to tie it 2-2 going into the break. A stunned FC Cincinnati side could never recover the momentum. "There was excitement. The crowd was into it. It's easy to lose focus. We maybe got away from how we prepared," Noonan said. In the second half, FC Cincinnati's Miles Robinson, making his first appearance with the club since May after Gold Cup duties, tried to clear an entry pass from Columbus but it resulted in an untimely own goal that gave the Crew the lead for good. While FC Cincinnati's offense was still stuck in mud, Columbus eventually delivered the dagger in extra time when Taha Habroune finished a breakaway with his first goal of the season. What's next for FC Cincinnati? Winners of five consecutive matches, FC Cincinnati now ends a three-game homestand when Inter Miami CF, led by Lionel Messi, visits TQL Stadium on July 16. Messi scored multiple goals for the fifth consecutive game in Miami's 2-1 win over Nashville on Saturday. "Put the disappointment behind us," Noonan said of his message to the club with the quick turnaround to Miami. "Like all games, we'll see how we let this get away from us." This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Replay: Columbus rallies to stun FC Cincinnati in Hell is Real derby
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
FC Cincinnati tries to bounce back Wednesday against Lionel Messi and Inter Miami
Under Pat Noonan, FC Cincinnati has been good at bouncing back from tough results. The Orange and Blue took their sixth loss of the Major League Soccer season Saturday, squandering an early 2-0 lead to the Columbus Crew and losing 4-2. That was their sixth loss in MLS play against 13 wins and three draws, but the team has not lost twice in a row this season. In their next match after a loss this season, FC Cincinnati has three wins and two draws. The two draws came after conceding goals in the final minutes against Atlanta and Dallas. The team's skills at bouncing back will be sternly tested July 16, when Cincinnati hosts Lionel Messi and Inter Miami FC 7:30 p.m. at TQL Stadium. 'We have a lot of experience on this team to get through these types of moments,' said defender Matt Miazga. 'We don't lose much, but when we do, we're able to turn it around really quickly and that's our plan on Wednesday as well. We have to let it hurt for a moment, but there were a lot of positives to take from Saturday and we can keep progressing as a team.' The Inter Miami game is crucial in the MLS table Miami is 11-3-5 for 38 points, and has won five straight in MLS play. The teams will meet twice in the next two weeks, as Cincinnati travels there July 26. Cincy will fly to Utah to play Real Salt Lake on Saturday, while Miami plays at the New York Red Bulls. Miami's recent participation in the Club World Cup left them with three games in hand on Cincinnati and most other teams in the Eastern Conference. Entering the July 16 game, Miami is fifth in the East with 38 points in 19 games, but leading the conference in points per game (2.0), a shade ahead of first-place Philadelphia (1.95), who has 43 points in 22 matches. Cincy is second with 42 points (1.91), and Nashville and Columbus have 41 (1.86). Those three remaining makeup games could earn Miami nine points in the table, which puts extra emphasis on the pair of upcoming matches Cincy has with their Florida foes. Worst case, if Miami wins both games, the Orange and Blue could be looking up at them in the standings when they leave Miami July 26. If so, they could have a difficult time pulling ahead of them the rest of the way. Conversely, a win over Miami and a draw, or even two wins, could springboard Cincy with a lot of momentum into the final quarter of the regular season. But first things first, as the team's emphasis is on being focused and playing as a unit for the full 90 minutes Wednesday, which Miazga and Noonan said the team lapsed on at times against Columbus. 'It was disappointing,' Miazga said July 14. 'We had a tough video session today where we analyzed a lot of mistakes we've done in the game, as well as good moments because there were a lot of good moments. We let it slip and that's the reality: We let it slip away from us, and we got to bounce back, so the good thing is there's opportunity on Wednesday. We don't have to wait a whole week.' Will Lionel Messi sit out the Cincinnati game? Unlikely Messi, the Argentine who turned 38 on June 24, leads the team with 16 goals, which is also tied for league leadership. He has two goals apiece in five consecutive MLS games, which is a league record, and his 11 goals over his last six appearances ties an MLS record. He has never scored a goal in three matches against Cincinnati, and the Orange and Blue have won three straight MLS matches against Miami at TQL Stadium, not counting Miami's win in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals in 2023. That is the only time Messi has played at TQL Stadium, as he did not suit up in Cincy's 6-1 win last year on July 6. Fan interest in seeing Messi is palpable. Tickets on SeatGeek are ranging from $100 to $200 for the match, including over $122 in The Bailey. The matchup at TQL Stadium will be Miami's eighth game in 33 days since their first game in the FIFA Club World Cup June 14. Miami played four games in that tournament, claiming one win and two draws in group play, then losing to eventual runner-up Paris Saint-Germain 4-0 in the round of 16. Miami played a league makeup game July 9 against New England to add to its compressed schedule. Counting the Club World Cup, Messi has played in 90-plus minutes in 15 straight matches for Miami since April 30. He also played in two FIFA World Cup qualifiers for Argentina in early June but didn't play the full 90 either time. Messi hasn't become one of the greatest to ever play the game without being exceptionally fit, but he is still 38 years old and has been working in exceptionally hot conditions at times this summer. Javier Mascherano, Inter Miami's first-year head coach, acknowledged after Saturday's win over Nashville that Messi will need to sit out a game at some point. But he will leave that up to his superstar, especially since he is healthy and in top form. Tuesday morning, before the team left for Cincinnati, Mascherano gave no indication to Miami media that Messi would sit out Wednesday night. 'Obviously, at some point we will have to give him a rest,' Mascherano said in the Miami Herald on Sunday. 'We talk to him every day, he feels good, and whenever we feel it's the time to give him a break, we will. As for his performance, there are no words. It is incredible what he keeps doing, breaking records every three days. I have said it a million times, he is the flag bearer of this team, he marks our path, he's our leader. He's the one who shows his teammates how we have to maintain our form right now and it's a blessing for me to be alongside him in this stage of his career.' Miami is a dangerous offensive team with or without Messi Messi has other headline-making stars that he has also played with for FC Barcelona: Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez. Suarez has five goals and scored twice in a 2-0 win over Cincy last year in Florida. Tadeo Allende has seven and Telasco Segovia five. Despite only playing 19 games, Miami has more goals scored (44) than anyone in the Eastern Conference and second overall in MLS to San Diego (46). 'I would say, unfortunately, in this scenario it's a player that nobody has had the answer to stopping, ever, and I say 'the player', but, how does Messi get the ball in dangerous spots?' Noonan said. 'How does Busquets find him? How does Alba find those two? How does Suarez move off of it? Again, I'm naming guys that rightfully deserve to be talked about the way they are is because they're elite. They play at a very high level and it can't just be about 'how do you stop those four?' because those four are going to find the open man if you're only concerned about trying to stop them. It always has to be a collective.' Miazga agreed that his team needs to be cohesive. 'The reality is we're playing one of, if not the greatest players that ever played,' Miazga said. 'So, we have to be mindful of where he is and what he does, but at the same time, we're playing at home. We have to focus on ourselves and push our game forward and if we do that, we'll minimize them, and that's the most important thing.' More: Evander is 'bridge' in FC Cincinnati's locker room Cincinnati has a strong offense of its own Cincinnati midfielder Evander is on a heater of his own, having scored at least one goal in four consecutive games, and he has 13 overall, tied for third in the MLS rankings behind Messi and Nashville's Sam Surridge. A goal Wednesday night would make him the first player in FC Cincinnati history to score a goal in five straight matches. Lucho Acosta scored in four straight matches twice, and Brandon Vazquez once. Miami's defense limited a potent Nashville team to one goal in a 2-1 win Saturday. But overall, Miami has been leaky at times on its side of the pitch, allowing 30 goals for the season and posting only three shutouts in MLS play, none since April. Noonan is expecting their best performance around their net. 'I think the pieces around them right now are also performing at a high level. That's why their team looks so strong. And so, it'll be a good challenge for us,' Noonan said. 'It has to be 90 minutes of concentration and courage - both sides of the ball - to understand how to play and manage a game. So, I know the guys are looking forward to it. We want to get past the frustration of what we just experienced and try to use that as a lesson to be better on Wednesday.' More: Pavel Bucha is 'engine' for FC Cincinnati, even in loss Injury updates Noonan announced that defender Nick Hagglund would be available for the Miami game, which if he plays would mark his first appearance since fracturing ribs and collapsing a lung May 25 at Atlanta. "He's back,' Noonan said. 'He's been around enough, even with his absence with the injury on field, he's been present. And his energy, his leadership, has been felt the entire period of time that he's not able to be on the field with his teammates. But Nick's been Nick, which is always impactful in a positive way for our group.' Noonan said that Yuya Kubo remains day-to-day with his calf injury. Kubo has played one game since May 17, going June 25 at Montreal but has been out since. Noonan said a couple of other players took minor knocks Saturday against Columbus and will be monitored heading into gametime. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: FC Cincinnati will look to bounce back against Messi and Inter Miami
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
FC Cincinnati recovered well ahead of match versus in-form Real Salt Lake
After securing a rebound victory over Inter Miami CF, FC Cincinnati is in a position to build momentum in the Supporters' Shield race against Real Salt Lake on June 19. But the Orange and Blue, who have won four of their last five contests, are set to clash with another in-form opponent. Despite being 10th in the Western Conference and 20th overall, Real Salt Lake enters the match unbeaten in their last five contests. Meanwhile, FC Cincinnati sits second in the Eastern Conference and the league. FC Cincinnati Evander MVP Lionel Messi Evander bolsters MVP case in win over Lionel Messi's Inter Miami CF 'The form that (RSL is) in and the results that they're getting is credit to (coach) Pablo (Mastroeni) and the staff for the work they're doing, because they look like a strong team,' said coach Pat Noonan. Real Salt Lake is unbeaten in their last five matches After splitting results against two Supporters' Shield competitors in the Columbus Crew and Inter Miami, FC Cincinnati should not overlook RSL, which has pulled off gritty victories in its recent run. Noonan cited RSL's defensive pressure and variable pressing and also noted the opposition's commitment to defending in transition with organization. Twenty-one-year-old midfielder Diego Luna has been one of RSL's key playmakers with 12 goal contributions in 18 appearances this season. He recently enjoyed a breakout with the United States Men's National Team, scoring three goals and tallying two assists at the Concacaf Gold Cup. Noonan noted Luna's rapid development and movement off the ball to find space. He also mentioned how the Sunnyvale, California native can dribble past players and score from a long distance. 'The recognition and the attention that (Luna)'s getting is well deserved, because he's performing with his club, and he got an opportunity with the U.S. team, and did a good job there as well,' Noonan said. Players have stepped up in the attack for FC Cincinnati A midfielder, Evander, has also been a critical figure on FC Cincinnati's side. He became the first player to score in five consecutive matches for the Orange and Blue in the win against Inter Miami, raising his goal tally to 15 this season. With the team's second-leading scorer, forward Kévin Denkey, likely to miss his second straight game due to a leg injury, Evander could continue to be especially vital in the attack. Still, Gerardo 'Dado' Valenzuela replaced Denkey and scored FC Cincinnati's opening goal against Inter Miami. On the right side of the front two, 40-year-old Kei Kamara has seemed to become a preferred option because of his hold-up play and off-ball movement. Meanwhile, Sérgio Santos, who has featured in 16 matches, could mix in after recently returning from a leg injury. While it is unclear who will line up to start the match, Noonan said the group has recovered well from their previous game despite the double match week. 'We factored in the two games before Salt Lake, how they played out, with certain positions and the depth we have, what makes the most sense to have a rotation if we do and with the idea of having fresh legs and a strong group to go out and start the game in a good way,' Noonan said. The match will kick off at 9:30 p.m. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: FC Cincinnati recovered well ahead of match versus Real Salt Lake
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
🚨 Inter Miami line-up confirmed to face FC Cincinnati
The Herons are presented as visitors at TQL Stadium as part of the 24th day of Major League Soccer (MLS).Inter Miami has left behind its participation in the FIFA Club World Cup and is fully focused on competing in Major League Soccer (MLS), where this Wednesday it faces FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium. The Herons are going through a good present after reaching the round of 16 of the Club World Cup: they have three consecutive victories, which allowed them to climb to the fifth step in the standings with 38 units, five behind leader Philadelphia Union, but with three fewer games. Inter Miami's starting eleven Javier Mascherano puts the best he has at his disposal: Lionel Messi is a starter in the attack. FC Cincinnati, on the other hand, comes from a 4-2 loss to Columbus Crew and fell from the throne of the Eastern Conference. This defeat interrupted a positive streak of four victories in a row (New England Revolution, FC Montréal, Orlando City, and Chicago Fire). FC Cincinnati's initial lineup Pat Noonan has chosen these players to receive the stellar team led by Messi. This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.
